bbed through

behind my forehead. My stomach twisted. My mouth felt like I'd swallowed sand, and every

a hand to

hell did

ything became a blur of golden lights, a deep voice,

y e

s flew

in my a

ndows stretched across one wall, revealing a city already awake beneath the morning sun. Heavy curtains fram

p too q

O

ead and squeez

them again, I

nd a thick duvet lay tangled around my waist. Be

t began

looke

hirt hung loose

mach d

my shoulder. A deep voice ordering him to let go. Warm fingers

elev

ng mine in the

that,

the empty si

, G

for my dress. My phone. My shoes. Anything that could te

air. One shoe was beside the door,

rested on a

hadn't lost

ttress. My knees nearly buckled when my feet touched t

en I saw

de a black

paper with trembling

elf somet

d it

n a

eeks

I was a p

He'd taken me upstairs, left me wearing his shirt, and de

at the cr

d probably worth more t

, I simply s

the note onto

that kind

ed small in th

d that

d brought me here because I had asked him to make me forget

pened, I wasn't goin

c brushed against my skin. My hair was a disaster

lipped them on, and

, I glanced at

me here. No name. No explanation. Not even a

d and that i

exactly wher

-

y was busy whe

men with designer handbags spoke into their phones. A un

d walked as quickly as

orning,

rly j

e counter, watching me with an e

rning,"

enjoy y

ps fal

t

smile. "Yes

to my wrinkled dress be

ept up

floor to op

rip on my handbag and hur

face. I stopped beneath the hote

n't know th

or furious with him. All I knew was that I neede

o my handbag

e

cour

the city passed in a blur. My head throbbed with ev

n since yeste

food made me re

rried through the rain, hoping to

d and turned to

ng to cry ov

to

-

quiet when I un

onto the small table, and immediate

kicked off my shoes a

in the refrigerator. I poured myself a glass of water and took t

ne vib

n

ic

so rapidly that I snat

n misse

St. Mary'

od ran

back im

swered after t

ss. We've been try

phone died. Is

d to come in as soon as you can. The b

ed the

ted i

hin three days. If it isn't, we may l

ee

to suck the air

give me more time? I'll find the

, Ava. You know I'd

t my

of tests, consultations, and waiting for someone t

had a

dead

ed. "I'll figur

ended, I opened

alance appeare

12

t until the n

d and twel

transport, and the small payments I'd m

dollars was du

kitchen cabinet and pres

e. I could ask my manager for an advance, but he had already

Et

h my mother die tha

ed me so much that I

red. "Don't ev

he ruined dress, and pulled on a p

ed to

ded a

knocks sound